‘Downton Abbey’ Shocker: Another Key Character Departs

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Siobahn Finneran reveals that the conniving maid O'Brien won't be back

Sarah O'Brien has left the Abbey. Siobahn Finneran, who's played conniving maid O'Brien throughout "Downton Abbey's" three-season run, won't be returning for the upcoming fourth season of the British hit.

That death was preceded by the demise of Lady Sybil Branson, played by Jessica Brown Findlay. In an episode airing in the U.S. in January, Branson died after giving birth.

While the show's faithful might have been disappointed by the deaths, they appear to have remained faithful to the show: Its February Season 3 finale on PBS, which airs the show in the U.S., drew a jaw-dropping 8.2 million total viewers, easily besting the viewership for the Season 2 finale.

A spokeswoman for PBS member station WGBH said that the door is open for the O'Brien character to return in the future.

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